I didn't announce on the old boards before the switch, but I'm pregnant! I wasn't really comfortable announcing all over the internet until I heard the heartbeat yesterday. I just started my second trimester and am really hoping that this whole all food sounds gross thing goes away soon. I do have a new found love for granny smith apples though.

I don't know what to do about the flu shot. I've never had the flu and have never gotten the shot but I'm sort of leaning towards it this year.

Yay sashi! Congrats!

I'd never gotten a flu shot before I was pregnant, but flu season hit when I was in the third trimester and I was really worried about getting really sick and having the baby early oooor just having him on time and being too sick to handle it and stuff. So I sucked it up and got it.

Lydia Claire was born! I guess I get to post the first birth story on the new boards! I feel so special....

On Wednesday, I had an appointment with my OB to discuss what to do about my low fluid levels that the radiologist saw on my ultrasound. I was warned beforehand that this probably meant she'd want to induce me that evening between the fluid levels and me being nearly 42 weeks. But, my baby had other plans! My water broke around 12 AM on Wednesday, and we went to the hospital. Unfortunately, my blood pressure was high, and stayed high, so my OB wanted the fetus monitored constantly, which really sucked. Since my water had broken, the OB gave me 16 hours to labor before she wanted to start pitocin if she didn't think I was far enough long. So, that time arrived, and I was 3.5 cm dilated, and since the monitors didn't show that my contractions were getting that much closer together, the OB thought I hadn't progressed enough and she wanted to start pitocin right away. I really really disagreed with that-- the contractions seemed to be getting way more intense to me, so I asked to please give me a bit more time to labor on my own. My OB be said fine, we'll wait until 6 pm, then pitocin unless labor had progressed a LOT.

I'm so glad I stood my ground on the pitocin, because just a bit before 6, things started getting intense. I spent 2 hours laboring in the shower and then on the toilet. Around 8 pm, the pain became almost unbearable, so I thought I was in transition. I asked the nurse what she thought, and the nurse said that she thought I was barely in active labor. At this point, even though I really wanted a natural birth, I didn't think I could last any longer without pain meds if I had a lot of active labor and transition to still make it through. So, I got an epidural sometime around 8:30, and then they checked my cervix immediately afterwards, and I was 9 cm dilated! I guess I should have trusted my own body, because I really had been in transition despite what the nurse told me. If I'd known that I had been in transition, I feel like I could have made it through without the epidural, but who knows. Things progressed extremely rapidly after this even with the epidural, and after 45 minutes minutes of pushing, Lydia was born! She was 7 lbs 3 oz and 19.5 inches with a full head of hair. I had a bit of 2nd degree tearing, so I needed a couple stitches. I bring up the tearing because I think it was my biggest fear about labor. I was SO terrified of being totally torn up, but it's completely true that once the baby was here, I didn't care about any of that stuff at ALL.

When I put Lydia to my chest, she knew what to do right away, and nursed for a while. We've had some breastfeeding problems since, but I think we're gradually figuring things out. I'm incredibly exhausted, but happy that she's (finally!) here!

Congratulations to you both, Helbury and newborn lydia. I am both sorry that your birth wasn't as you hoped and happy that you are so positive about it. The first month of breastfeeding is hard, but you guys can do it, feel free to vent and or question us, lots of us have been there. Hugs and love to you both.

I was the same way about the epidural - the last thing I said before finding out I was 8 cm was "I think I see an epidural in my future!" I'm just lucky the nurse checked me 1st or I would have done the same thing. That nurse was awful too - she said like 2 words the whole night, and I asked her if 8cm meant I'd already gone through transition (I forgot at what point it happened) and from her answer it was clear she didn't even know what transition was! She couldn't get the monitors attached right the whole night either, but I guess it worked in my favor anyway because she let me stay in the shower without them as long as I wanted. I must have met around 25 nurses in my 5 days at the hospital, and I'd say maybe 2/3 were really nice and the other 1/3 - uugh!

I also was surprised to find I didn't care about the stitches at all either - I thought the afteraffects would be so bad but really nothing can compare to the relief that it is all over and I have a healthy baby!

_________________I'm not asking for utopian dreams...just a little peace in this world. That's a logical thing. - Deee-Lite

Congratulations Helbury! Your story is very helpful. Having all good intentions at this point of going through labor naturally, it makes me a little nervous to hear that the nurses are so quick to push the drugs. I just hope I can prepare ahead of time so that when I get to that weak spot, I will be able to hold my ground. What I need to learn is whether certain things are really necessary to speed things along or whether they think they are doing you a favor because of pain/duration of labor.Since I am new to the forums (and pregnancy), I have been curious about something. As vegans, do you guys feel like you are less prone to morning sickness? I come from a family of women who weren't only sick but badly and for most of their pregnancies. I haven't even been nauseous and I am just now past 13 weeks. I am also a runner, which has to help. But it seems like food must have something to do with it.Also, for fun, what are some of your favorite and/or strange things to eat now or when you have been pregnant? I don't have any must-haves at this point but I have been baking lots of muffins and breads, which is unusual for me.

_________________For a looooong time, my ONLY daydream was of going to a salon by myself. When I finally did manage it, I was like, do whatever you want to my hair, just don't scream at me, vomit on me, or gnaw on my boobs. - coldandsleepy

I had nausea for a few weeks in my first trimester, and I know several ppkers had it much worse. I can relate to your experience, though; my mother has nothing but negative memories about pregnancy, and overall, I've felt okay. She was sick and sore and uncomfortable the entire time she was pregnant, so anytime I mention taking a long car trip or eating curry, she can't believe it. I don't know if I should credit veganism, exercise, positive attitude, good luck, or some combination.

There was a recent thread about pregnancy cravings. I noticed a lot of us mentioned fruit.

welcome to the boards, pumpkin! based off the different levels of morning sickness i've seen described on this board over the years i would say that i do not think veganism has any impact. personally, being vegan definitely didn't prevent me from feeling ill most of my first trimester during my first pregnancy. i would just chalk it up to being one of the lucky ones who got to avoid it. we can look to our family history to get an idea of what might happen during our own pregnancy, but every body is different and even for the same woman individual pregnancies can vary greatly.

_________________Gwyneth Paltrow: "I'm superstitious. Whenever I start a new movie I kill a hobo with a hammer."

Congratulations Helbury! Your story is very helpful. Having all good intentions at this point of going through labor naturally, it makes me a little nervous to hear that the nurses are so quick to push the drugs. I just hope I can prepare ahead of time so that when I get to that weak spot, I will be able to hold my ground. What I need to learn is whether certain things are really necessary to speed things along or whether they think they are doing you a favor because of pain/duration of labor.Since I am new to the forums (and pregnancy), I have been curious about something. As vegans, do you guys feel like you are less prone to morning sickness? I come from a family of women who weren't only sick but badly and for most of their pregnancies. I haven't even been nauseous and I am just now past 13 weeks. I am also a runner, which has to help. But it seems like food must have something to do with it.Also, for fun, what are some of your favorite and/or strange things to eat now or when you have been pregnant? I don't have any must-haves at this point but I have been baking lots of muffins and breads, which is unusual for me.

i remember the morning sickness worse than it actually was, i think. when i thought back, i could count the number of times i actually puked, and they were almost all right after taking my giant prenatal. once i switched to individual supplements, i didn't get sick anymore. i still felt yucky and tired, but functional. i think it's mostly genetics that determine your discomfort with pregnancy, along with overall health.

as for the drugs in labour, one thing that really helped me was focusing on getting through one contraction at a time, rather than thinking ahead. every contraction i made it through was one down, and one i'd never have to feel again. if i'd ever really thought, oh, i'm only whatever distance into my labour, i still have several hours to go, i'd probably have asked for drugs too. i think it's similar to how marathoners get through long races... if they ever stopped and consciously thought about every mile they still had to get through, no one would ever finish a race... they just concentrate on finishing each mile as it comes.

you may end up needing drugs anyway for different reasons. every labour is different, and drugs are there for a reason, but don't worry about that too much right now.

I am so tuned out at work. I've got 5 weeks left. All I want to do is sit around and feel the baby moving, read birth stories, take naps, and concentrate on not having heartburn. I am having a hard time pretending to care about other people and their dumb concerns; it all just seems so irrelevant...

I am your sister in heartburn pain. I have had it almost constantly for the past few days. At night it's the worst (like I needed something else keeping me up).

I remember how my last pregnancy all I could think and talk about was the baby, but this time I'm so busy keeping track of Felix already that the baby stuff has totally been pushed to the back of my mind. It helps that I already have a lot of stuff left over from the first time around, but really I have not even begun to prepare. Lately, it's really started sinking in that January isn't that far off, and I should maybe start getting ready.

_________________Gwyneth Paltrow: "I'm superstitious. Whenever I start a new movie I kill a hobo with a hammer."

We can be triplets. It's been my constant companion since the beginning and it's only getting more intense. A couple weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night actually choking on stomach acid. It was like the sphincter (hee!) in my esophagus wouldn't close. Horrible.

I have nothing ready for the baby because we're selling our house and moving. We got an offer on our current place last weekend and the closing date is December 15th. I'm due January 2nd. I will be moving while 37 weeks pregnant and I don't even know where to. Deep breaths. DEEP BREATHS.

We can be triplets. It's been my constant companion since the beginning and it's only getting more intense. A couple weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night actually choking on stomach acid. It was like the sphincter (hee!) in my esophagus wouldn't close. Horrible.

I have nothing ready for the baby because we're selling our house and moving. We got an offer on our current place last weekend and the closing date is December 15th. I'm due January 2nd. I will be moving while 37 weeks pregnant and I don't even know where to. Deep breaths. DEEP BREATHS.

Oh yeah, the heartburn was the worst! I feel for you ladies, it would keep me up all night and plague me during the day. It started to feel like I would have to deal with it forever, but it really will go away after the baby is born - don't worry!

i have acid reflux disease. I didn't need any meds (miraculously!) while I was pregnant with henry. With zelda my heart burn was out of control and I tried all the hippie stuff and had to take zantac. I was miserable.

Don't risk the health of your esophogus folks! just saying. If you are miserable then it is too!

My husband was talking on the phone to his sister in California this evening, arranging for her and her husband to come visit at Christmas or right after. My due date is January 2nd. We're currently selling our house and the new owner takes possession on December 18th. Even if we're able to close extra fast on the next place we buy and seamlessly transition from one house to the next, we'll probably be moving like ten days before Christmas at the earliest. We'll then have a couple weeks to settle into our new place and get ready for the baby, with all the normal holiday stuff going on too. (And this is all best case scenario! Really, we might not have a place right away and end up crashing with my parents or renting an apartment or something. Gah! Stress ball!) I really, really, really feel like having company right then is a terrible idea. I want to be able to (hopefully!) settle into our new home and just be as relaxed as possible in the days leading up to the birth and I know I won't be able to do that with a house full of in-laws.

So I told him I didn't think it was a good idea. But I feel like a monster because he has no family nearby and he was really excited about having Christmas with his sister this year. But I really think I would completely lose my shiitake with the stress of house guests on top of everything else. Ugh.

I think that sounds REALLY overwhelming, Pinko, and I'd be equally inclined to poo-poo the visit. I know it's nice to have family around on holidays, but wouldn't his sister rather visit a few months down the line when you're all settled in with a new baby?

_________________Gwyneth Paltrow: "I'm superstitious. Whenever I start a new movie I kill a hobo with a hammer."